Jamie Kastner | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Occupation(s) | film director, screenwriter |
| Known for | There Are No Fakes, The Secret Disco Revolution, The Skyjacker's Tale |
Jamie Kastner is a Canadian writer, director and documentary filmmaker based in Toronto, Canada. His company, Cave 7 Productions, produces both theatrical and television productions. [1] Kastner is best known for his feature documentaries, including There Are No Fakes , which premiered at Hot Docs in 2019, [2] The Skyjacker's Tale (2016) [3] and The Secret Disco Revolution , both of which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. [4]
Jamie Kastner is a member of a family of filmmakers. He is the nephew of actor Peter Kastner and filmmaker John Kastner. [5] Kastner's grandmother, Rose, served as an associate producer on several of John Kastner's films, [6] while his mother, Susan Kastner, was involved in the production of several of Jamie Kastner's films as a researcher. [7] Kastner's wife Laura Baron Kastner is producer and business partner at Cave 7 Productions. [8] Kastner worked as an associate producer and researcher on several of John Kastner's films, including 1997's Hunting Bobby Oatway. [9]
Jamie Kastner's films explore such topics as pop culture, [10] political and social issues, crime and identity. [11] His first documentary was Free Trade Is Killing My Mother (2003), a black comedy about protest. [12] Films such as Djangomania! (2005), [13] Kike Like Me (2007) [14] and Recessionize! For Fun and Profit! (2011) [15] employ both comedy and a first-person, road movie format. Kike Like Me, which follows Kastner as he travels to several countries exploring the notion of modern Jewish identity, premiered at HotDocs in 2007. [16] The film won the Audience Award at Munich Dokfest and was shortlisted for the Grierson Award in 2008. [17]
Kastner has also worked as a producer and writer on several television series, [18] as a newspaper reporter and features writer, [19] [20] playwright, [21] critic and television host. [22]
In 2017, The Harold Greenberg Fund supported the adaptation of The Skyjacker's Tale into a dramatic feature film, titled, The Skyjacker's Son, with Kastner as screenwriter. [23]
| Award | Date of Ceremony | Category | Result | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Screen Awards | May 20, 2021 | Direction in a Documentary Program or Series | Nominated | [24] |
| Writing in a Documentary Program or Series | Nominated | |||
| Biography or Arts Documentary Program or Series | Nominated |